Greenpeace members hijack National Theater roof in Prague

Activists protest coal mining which may demolish several villages

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Photo Greenpeace.org

PRAGUE, October 22. (Itar-Tass) – Greenpeace activists have climbed on the roof of the National Theatre located in the Czech capital and stayed there for three hours. Throughout this time they had a 40-meter banner covering the building’s façade: the banner urged the Czech government to stop destroying villages and towns located above coal deposits.

Activists also displayed photos of politician, including the current head of the nation’s Interior Ministry, who they believe are responsible for lobbying for coal mining.

Jan Rovenský, representative of Greenpeace Czech Republic, said: “We’ve launched this action in order to show that they should not vote for these politicians during the October 25 and 26 elections. It’s absurd to demolish memorials and villages only because there’s coal under them. I wonder if they would have destroyed the National Theatre if coal was discovered beneath it.”

The police has arrived immediately after the activists hijacked the roof. However, police officers did not interfere; in three hours Greenpace activists furled up their banners and left the roof. Currently it’s not clear how the police will classify the event.

Jan Burian, Director of the National Theatre, said: “I was most worried about stone sculptures falling from the roof and the façade. The building is run-down and is currently under reconstruction. We have nothing to do with the event.”

If the Czech government green-lights the coal mining project, 28 small towns and villages in the northern part of the country may be demolished.